Indiana Jones and the Tomb of Tamriel
by FightingKentuckian
Summary: After a snow storm Indy ends up in the fantastical world of the Elder Scrolls. Lost in the forest of Skyrim he happens across a beautiful thief and the adventure begins as the two start a quest across the lands to help Indy get home. I'd appreciate any feedback. Did I capture the essence of both Indy & Elder Scrolls?
1. If Adventure Has a Name

Indiana Jones and the Tomb of Tamriel

Sweden, 1932. In the vast northern part of the country a massive snow storm was charging across the open, flat, cold tundra as night set in. The plains were barren except for a small camp crudely set up around an archaeological dig. Most of the dig crew had turned in with the storm rolling in. One canvas tent had a light still burning inside. A man was sitting at the table pouring over books and notes.

"These records are proof the Vikings made it farther south than the Arabian peninsula. This is amazing, it reopens Professor Harrison's theory on the ancient Vikings' trade routes." As the man jotted down notes a loud crash was heard outside. He quickly jumped up and ran over to his tent flap. Lifting it revealed the snow storm had collapsed a tent and was carrying it across the site and out into the dark tundra. He dropped the tent flap quickly and pulled on his leather jacket. He pulled a brown fedora off it's hook and started out into the storm. "Hey! Hey! The tent's blowing away. Get out here!" He yelled to the other tents as he fastened his gun belt on in his steady jog. No other tents stirred, then a light appeared from one.

"Let it go Indy. There are plenty of other tents here." came a hefty voice from the light.

"That had all our equipment in it Jimmy!" Indiana Jones replied as he ran after the flailing tent. The storm carried the tent farther and farther from the camp and Indy kept chasing it. After awhile the plains turned to a snowy forest. A tree finally caught the tent and Indy could hear some of the equipment smash against the bark. Looking through the mess Indy realized that most the equipment was destroyed. There were a few shovels and picks still intact, but most the gear was trashed. He picked up a shovel, pulled his fedora down, and started back from the tent. With all the digging equipment lost excavating the rest of the site would be much slower, and harder. It wasn't till several minutes of trudging through the snow that Indy realized he was lost. The blinding wall of snow made visibility scarce.

"Starting to think chasing that tent wasn't worth it." Indy muttered to himself as he tried to pick a direction to walk in. The storm picked up and the snow burned cold against his skin. He reached into his satchel and pulled out a scarf to wrap around his face. The snow was getting deeper and Indy's steps were becoming labored. Still no sight of his camp. Indy tripped in one of the snow banks and landed face first in 3 ft of cold snow, but his face was long numbed from the cold. Slowly pulling himself out of the snow Indy grabbed his hat before it blew away and started a slow stagger onward. It wasn't five steps before Indy fell into the snow again. He sat there, too tired to get up anymore, the storm had sapped his strength. The snow continued to blow, covering Indy in the snowy bank.

The world went black.

Indy woke up still laying in the snow. He leaned up to a sitting position and brushed the snow off his back. The scene around him hadn't changed much, still in a snowy forest. Visibility had returned and Indy could see a high stone wall of in the distance.

"Don't remember passing any stonework near our site. Could be another old castle." Indy pondered out loud as he pushed his hat up his brow. As he started towards the stone wall another human appeared from behind another tree headed towards Indy. "Jimmy! That you?". No response, "Hey. Who are you?". The figure didn't answer his question causing Indy to worry. As it grew closer Indiana had to do a double take. It looked like a giant cat was walking towards him. "I must be dead, or that's one hairy Swed." Indy raised his hand and spoke again, "Do you speak English?" The cat figure unsheathed a sword from his waist and charged toward Indy. Indy's eyes widened, "Ah Hell." Indy pulled his Smith & Wesson out from his holster. A shot rang out and the bullet caught the cat in the chest. It fell with a graceful thud. After a few seconds Indy approached the downed animal, sure it was not getting back up. He inspected the creature; it was a humanoid cat wearing a dark hood over some simple armor. "Hmm. This sword looks early 12th Century and judging from the armor I'd say it's of Holy Roman design. But I've never seen this exact design before, especially not this far north. And there's the fact this is a giant cat." Not to count out the obvious, something was definitely a miss here. Before Indy could put any more clues together he heard footsteps crunching behind him. He turned to see another figure jogging at him from across the forest. The slender figure was moving much more fluidly across the snow. Indy raised his revolver again and took a shot. The figure seemed to simply vanish and appear with a puff of smoke, running in between trees. Indy fired off another shot, but the figure moved too fast. Before Indy could aim another shot the shadow was upon him. It was revealed to be a sleek woman, the tails of her black coat swept the against the snow. Her hood hid her caramel skin and curvy black hair. She attacked Indy, knocking the gun from his hand. Before Indy could react she had his shirt collar in one hand and a dagger to his throat.

"You best hand over all your loot now. Pray I don't slit your throat since you killed my partner." the woman spoke through gritted teeth.

"Hey honey. Sorry I broke up your little Renaissance Fair. You're guard.. cat, came at me." Indy cracked his famous half smile with that sentence. The thief silently took notice of Indy. She realized he was dressed in a most unusual fashion. She jumped back from the professor and pointed the dagger at him.

"What are you? You look like no man I've seen. Are you Daedra?" her hood could not hide the fear in her face. Indy was unfamiliar with a "Daedra", that term never came up in his studies of Sweden. He raised his hands and his voice consoled,

"Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot. So why don't you put that little knife down and answer my questions." The thief didn't budge. "My name is Indiana Jones. I'm just an archaeologist on a dig for Barnett College. I'm not here to fight anyone. Now then, you have a name?" The thief answered Indy's request but she didn't lower the dagger.

"They call me Tava, it's a religious name." Indy's face twisted in confusion,

"Tava? I've studied plenty of religions and that name doesn't come up."

"You insult me now? Tava, the old Yokudan goddess of the wind. Surely even an Imperial who claims to be as studied as you know of her." The look of confusion on his face didn't fade.

"Sweetheart, I didn't understand any of that. New question, what is this? And why is it dressed like a Medieval fighter?" Indy motioned to the dead man cat in the snow. The thief, Tava, lowered her dagger.

"You've never seen a Khajiit either, Imperial? That was my partner, Dar Quinto. He was always too bold to be a good thief."

"That thing was your partner, don't you mean pet? I've seen strange things in my travels, but nothing like that."

"You are quite dumb, even for an Imperial."

"Why do you keep calling me that? What the Hell is an Imperial?" Indy's patience was dwindling at this point. He didn't know what was going on, but he started to get a sinking feeling he wouldn't be returning to camp anytime soon. Tava inquired further,

"Are you a Nord then? Awful short for one." There was a term Indiana recognized.

"No. I'm not a Nord. I'm an American." Now the puzzled look shifted from Indy to the thief.

"American? There is no such persons. Do all of you dress like that in this land of the Americans?" Before Indy added to the confusion he stopped and realized that he may be getting taking for a fool by some dedicated reenactor. Course that would mean he just killed an innocent man.

"Oh, I get it. That's cute sister, but you can drop your act. I'm sorry about your friend, but I need to get back to the dig and I assume you need to get to the fair." Indy started to reach for his gun, but as his hand neared the handle Tava flung a throwing knife that stopped his movement. Indy looked up angrily, "I don't know what your problem is, but I'm done playing pretend. I've got real work to get done." Tava replied with matched ferocity.

"I'm playing no games Indiana Jones of the Americans. This is no fair." Indy was getting more nervous with each passing moment. He was either dealing with a crazy person or he had unearthed some mythical Swedish deity, wouldn't be his first time angering a god.

"Alright, where are we?"

"You are in southern Skyrim, Jones. Home to the Nords, and easy pickings."

Indy was thrown by that answer. Throughout it's history Sweden never flew a banner under the name 'Skyrim', but he continued his questioning,

"Okay, this may sound crazy, but when are we?" This warranted the expected chuckle from the thief.

"Last I checked it was still 4E 200." Indy wasn't sure, but he didn't think he was in Sweden anymore.

"Okay, so I'm in the year 200 in a place called Skyrim and you've never heard of America." trying to connect the dots, "I don't think I'm supposed to be here?"

"I'd say not. These woods are dangerous. Bears, wolves, and don't forget the trolls, and the thieves of course. Your money?"

"You say trolls? I am really lost." Indy pushed his hat back and scratched his forehead. He realized he needed to do some research, find out what happened that night to make him end up here. He needed help too, and he was stuck with a thief. "I'm going to need your help. I need out of this land." Tava could see that this strange man was indeed lost and she pitied him.

"I'll help you, but you must help me first. Gold, now." she waved her fingers to Indy. Indy had no gold, he cracked a laugh through his smile, but before he could answer a voice rang out across the forest.

"There is the sneak thief! Get her, and her accomplice." Indy turned to see guards racing across the field carrying an assortment of sharp weapons.

"Damn it to Oblivion. Come, follow me." Tava started a brisk run through the snow banks. Indy quickly grabbed his revolver and chased after her. She seemed to glide on top of the snow while Indy trudged through the knee high banks. An arrow landed into a tree near Indy causing him to duck his head. Tava turned around to see the tired archaeologist struggling through the snow. She ran back and threw a knife at the guards. It clanged against one of the steel helmets, the guard stumbled down. She then raised her hand and what Indy saw next was, magical. Lightning shot from her fingertips cracking violently into the snow and trees causing the guards to slow their pursuit. Indy sat in the snow staring at her dumbfounded. She sighed as she grabbed Indy by the arm and hurtled through the snow. They ran some more, the sound of the guards shouts still close behind.

"Did you just shoot lightning from your fingers?" Indy asked in between his deep breaths.

"Yeah," Tava took a breath, "one of the few things my father taught me before he left." Another arrow whizzed in between the two. Indy jerked away, Tava was unphased. She spotted a cave hidden on the side of a mountain and started towards it. Indy stumbled in behind her. The cave was covered thick in ice and rock. Indy ducked in behind a large rock, with the snap of her fingers Tava disappeared.

"Hey! Did you just leave me?!" Indy yelled as he looked around the cave, "Sonnuva bitch." "Shh! Do you want them to find us?" her voice echoed from nothingness. Indy perked up in surprise.

"Father teach you that too?" Indy said as he exhaustedly caught his breath.

"Nope, a simple tool of any good thief."

"Well get back out here. It's unsettling. What did you steal from those guys any way?"

"Oh, just the Jarl's prized goblet. And I may have slept with her husband." Indy's face was of smug impress. The two quieted as the guards rushed past the open cave. Indy peeked his head out to see the guards head west away from the mountain, back into the woods.

"Alright, you can... reappear." Indy's tone noted some disbelief. From deeper in the cave came the sound of heavy breathing. "Tava. Tell me that's you." The thief appeared near Indy's left shoulder causing him to jump a little. The breathing still erupted from the cave's interior. Indy looked around the cave to see blood splatters and animal remains. Whatever that was in there was a meat eater. Suddenly a large, hairy creature charged into the opening. It was a large, snow white, apelike beast. It's three eyes focused in on the duo.

"That would be one of the trolls I mentioned." Tava informed. "I'm no warrior, you want to take this one?" Tava joked. Indy pulled out his revolver but realized it was too snow logged to fire properly. He gave a nervous laugh at the giant beast. It's heavy hands swung down at the two. They rolled out of the way, missing being crushed. Tava fired off some more lightning to stagger the troll. Indy unhitched his bull whip and cracked it, causing the troll to stay staggered. A second swing and the whip caught the troll across the chest, gashing a cut. The troll roared in pain. Indy kept the whip cracking, keeping the troll on the defensive and cutting deeper into it's wide chest. Then the troll caught Indy's whip in his massive hand. Indy's eyes widened. With one great heave, the troll sent Indy across the cave and against a rock wall. Indy let out a loud grunt of pain. As the troll started towards the archaeologist, Tava jumped up into the air with dagger above her head. The dagger cut deep into the troll's back causing the animal to frenzy. Indy pulled himself off the floor, holding his ribs in pain. He grabbed a nearby mammoth bone and swung it hard at the troll's shins. The beast fell down on it's knees. Indy caught the troll's head on his back swing. It fell with a heavy thud to the ground. Indy dropped the bone and used his jacket sleeve to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Raising his arm that high hurt his ribs causing him to wince.

"That," Indy coughed in pain, "Er, that was some beast. I've met yetis softer than that."

"Here," Tava reached inside her cloak and handed Indy a small vial, "This will get you feeling better." Indy hesitantly grabbed it. "It's a little potion I'm borrowing from an apothecary." While he popped the cork, Tava pulled her hood down, releasing her curvy hair and green eyes. Indy shot down the liquid. It tasted unexpectedly sweet, and his ribs felt better. "What is that item you carry on your hip?" Tava asked with curious eyes. Indy was coiling up his whip when he answered.

"That, that is my revolver. Smith & Wesson Model 1917." Indy realized he was probably speaking Greek to her, "but you don't know what that is." Tava shook her head clueless. "It's good for killing things, but I only have 3 shots left. Unless you have any spare ammo." Tava wasn't familiar with the term of 'ammo'.

"And this strange hat?" Tava asked as she pulled the fedora from Indy's head to inspect it.

"There's a long story behind that. And I prefer you didn't touch it." Indy grabbed the hat from her head and fitted it snuggly on his.

"You really aren't from around here, are you?"

"Nope. And I'd like to get out of here. If you could help me with that." Tava thought for a second.

"I know someone that might be able to help you, but we've got a lot of distance to find him. He's from my hometown in Hammerfell. We're close to the border, but it will be tough going all the way."

"No thanks to your famous reputation." Indy wise cracked.

"Please, these fools don't know my name. That's the mark of a great thief, not a famous one."

"Well, I know your name now. What's that say about me?"

"I didn't plan on you still being alive this long." A sly smile played across Tava face.

"So," trying to keep the mood lighter, "how do we get into Hammerfell?"

"Through the front gate of course. But first we'll need horses." the smile still on her face communicated to Indy that he was about to commit thievery. The two carefully left the cave, checking that no guards were still lingering. After making through the forest, they came upon a road. "This road leads right to the Hammerfell border." The sun finally peeked out as the two pounded down the dirt road.

"So, that lightning thing. That something passed down from your family?" The strangeness of this land surpassed even Indy's world wise.

"No, my father was a mage, learned at the Cyrodill Mage's Guild. Taught me that trick when I was young. Then he went off; chasing women, spreading the word, just wanting to get away, not sure why he left." A small camp near the road could be seen up ahead, "Look up there," Tava pointed as she slunk down, "Legionnaire's camp. The Empire has the means to keep horses in good health." Indy rested his hand on the handle of his gun.

"I'll stay here. Leave you to your work." While Indy leaned against a nearby wall Tava sneaked over to the camp, snapping invisible in the process. She shifted in between tents avoiding the soldiers moving about. There were several small personnel tents and larger ones dedicated to medical care, supplies, mess hall, and commander's tent. She spotted the horses corralled near a large timber. Her footsteps were light as she walked the outer edge of the camp towards the horses. She was almost to the tree, when a supply wagon pulled in with great ruckus. Distracted by the new variable, Tava didn't notice the root at her feet, she tripped causing her invisibility to fail. The soldiers looked over towards the now visible woman with angry faces and clenched hands.

"THIEF! Get the Redguard!" The crowd roared out. Tava quickly leaped to her feet as the armed soldiers charged her way. She ran right back at them. A soldier raised his shield giving Tava the chance to launch herself off of it and fly over the angry mob. She landed gracefully in the fresh snow and gasps of surprise filled the soldiers at this feat. Before they could react she made her way to the seat of the supply wagon. With a swing of the reins the pull horses started off. Indy, hearing the commotion, had appeared on the scene.

"Sounds like you..." Indy had to jump out of the way of the speeding wagon barreling down at him. Tava raced past the professor without slowing, driving the horses faster. "Hey, hey!" Indy yelled in desperation as he climbed to his feet and started to run after the wagon, keeping one hand planted on his head so to avoid losing his hat.

As he stopped for a breath he turned to see the soldiers had mounted and were riding after the wagon. Indy turned towards the column of horses with whip in hand. As the hustling steeds approach the whip cracked the air, startling the horses. One bucked it's rider. Indy ran towards the horse and started to saddle up on it until a sword caused him to duck. Another mounted soldier had Indy in swinging distance. A second swing came close to a shave, Indy grabbed the extended arm and used the leverage to toss the soldier from his horse. The soldier fell with clank and Indy stepped over him to steal his horse. Spurring the horse hard, Indy caught up to the wagon. Arrows started to whiz by in great numbers. Indy kept his head down, but a stray arrow hit his horse in the leg, causing it to falter in pain. Indy had to jump from his saddle and grab the supply wagon railing, pulling himself into the bed and letting the wounded horse run free. Once down in the wagon he looked to Tava, "You could've told me there would be a loud exit."

"I didn't plan on it, just thinking on my feet. That's the mark..."

"of a good thief. I know, I know." Indy was starting to think anything is considered the 'mark of a good thief'. The Legion horses were still in pursuit and closing. Two soldiers rode up and sandwiched the wagon between them. Indy stood up in the back, jumping around to dodge their swords. He sucked in his gut as one blade got too close. Indy pulled out his whip again and snapped it around the wrist of the soldier, with a quick tug the soldier lost balance and fell under the wagon, the wooden wheels bumping over him. The soldier on the other side used this time to leap on the wagon. His face held a devilish grin, knowing that Indy was cornered. Indy know the confines of the small wagon made his whip useless. "You have a," Indy ducked a sword swing, "blade I can borrow?" he yelled to his driver.

"No, check one of the supply chests!" Tava recommended. Indy stood back up and connected his fist with the soldier's jaw, stumbling him back. Indy opened the nearest chest. It was packed with gold bars. Grabbing one, Indy tossed it at the soldier's

"Here! Catch." The soldier instinctively grabbed the ingot and it's heavy momentum toppled him off the back of the wagon. Indy turned back to the thief. "Okay. I got them all."

"Not quite. Border's up ahead. It'll be guarded."

"And we don't have the proper papers." Indy was familiar with that dilemma dealing with Nazis.

"I'm not sure what that means, but basically we aren't going to ask politely." Indy climbed over and took a seat on the bench next to Tava. Up head the road was blocked with wooden barricades and soldiers. The wagon was still moving at a high rate, "Hold on to something American." Tava joyfully ordered. Soldiers in the road saw the wagon and positioned themselves in the road. The point guard raised his hand with an order,

"You have reached the border. Slow your wagon!" Tava disregarded the commands and drove the horses faster. The soldiers stood there in the road, participating in a game of chicken. The wagon didn't slow. Finally the soldiers blinked and dispersed from the road as the wagon roared by and crashed through the wooden barricades. The horses kept running without missing a beat.


	2. The Land of the Redguards

After several minutes of hard driving Indy turned to see the soldiers had given up pursuit. Tava slowed the horses down to a steady trot. Indy surveyed the new landscape as the thick, snowy forests turned to sprawling grasslands. The cold nip in the air turned to humidity.

"This landscape reminds me of Tanzania." Indy spouted out and Tava replied with a puzzled look. Indy waved his hand off, "Ah never mind. How long till we meet this friend of yours?"

"I never said he was a friend." Tava slyly remarked, "We will be there by nightfall." Spending the rest of the day on a wagon in the Savannah wasn't ideal, but Indy simply leaned back and tipped his hat down,

"Wake me when we get there." He had plenty of other questions he could've asked Tava, but he felt a good nap was better suited for the ride. "And don't touch any of my belongings." This causes a smile in Tava.

"Please Indiana Jones, I seem to be stuck with you for some time. Why steal anything from you now, when we have an adventure ahead of us?" Without raising his brim, Indy replied,

"Just call me Indy. That's fine."

The rest of the trip went without excitement. The grasslands were much emptier than Skyrim's forests. No soldiers or trolls wandered the plains or bother the journeying duo. As the sun began to set the grasslands turned into desert. Dark fell on the sands and the cold of the desert night settled in. Tava nudged Indiana's shoulder,

"We are almost there. See, in the distance." Indy rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked through his hazy eyes to see the lights of a small village up ahead, "That is my hometown, the village of Elinhir." Tava looked to Indy with a serious and sneaky look, "Don't draw too much attention to us. I didn't mention, but when I left, it wasn't a happy send off."

"Of course you neglected to mention that. Any interesting story behind it?"

"Nope. Had to start thieving somewhere. Why not steal the holy jewels from the city temple?" The wagon entered the city and rolled down the dusty streets. Most of the townsfolk had went to sleep with the fall of night. The creak of the wagon wood and horse hooves were the only sounds in the night. "Now, this guy we are meeting. He is a little off, even for an Argonian. Don't jump around too much, he's a skittish one. He's a scholar, like you. Doesn't get out much though. Mostly keeps his nose in a book." Tava brought the wagon to a stop outside a small, two story mud brick house.

"Town reminds me of time I spent in Cairo." Indy reminisced on past endeavors while Tava picked the lock. The door clicked open and Tava let themselves in. The mud house was of modest note. A wooden table covered in left out food sat next to a smoldering fireplace. Dozens of books littered the shelves and tables. Stacks piled up from the floor. "You weren't lying. My office isn't this cluttered." Indy said as he picked up a nearby book and flipped through it. Tava stood by a set of stairs leading to the second floor. She hollered up,

"Jarthen-of-Dust! Get down here. It's Tava." There was the sound of fumbling up stairs. Indy followed the sound of footsteps to the stairs. As they started down the rickety steps the figure that created them appeared. It was the size of a man, but it had the head of a lizard. It's scales were charred light brown from years in the desert sun. Indy was taken back and reacted quickly by pulling his gun from it's holster.

"Whoa! What's that?" The lizard man saw Indy raise the strange object towards him. He let out a high yip and scurried off the stairs, quickly ducking behind a wall of books. Tava looked towards Indy with disapproval.

"Put that thing away! I told you he was jumpy around people." Indy lowered his arm and raised his brow.

"Wait, that's the guy? That thing is a monster!" Tava pulled her hood back and placed her palm to her face.

"I forget you've never met an Argonian. Don't worry Dust is one of us." The lizard lifted his head from behind the stack of books.

"Yes, I promise, I mean you no harm. I am Jarthen-of-Dust, keeper of history and lore. Most of these folks simply call me Dust." his voice was soft and his words were nervously rapid. He dusted the dirt from the floor off his faded, red robes as he looked towards Tava. Indy never broke his gaze off of Dust. "Where do you get off breaking and entering, waking me in the middle of the night, and sicking this... strange man on me?" Dust realized that Indy wasn't dressed in typical Hammerfell garb. He moved closer to the archaeologist and examined Indy. Indy was also intrigued in this lizard man. "You aren't an Imperial, face structure is wrong. Too pale for a Redguard." Dust tipped Indy's fedora up, much to his displeasure, and his words continued to rattle off faster. "Can't be a mer, no pointy ears." His long finger scratched his lower jaw in thought, "Are you a god, or Daedra?" There was that word again. Before Dust could sink any deeper into dissertation Tava interjected.

"He says he's an American. Says he doesn't belong to Tamriel, or this world." The bookworm perked up at this new info. He quickly scurried from Indy and rummaged through a pile of books.

"Hmm, not familiar with the American race. Not an Oblivion walker. I have done research about legends of men sent across dimensions and times." As the words sped off his forked tongue, he found the book he was searching for and started flipping vigorously through the pages. The air was filled with dust from the aged pages. "Here," Dust showed the page to Indy. Surprisingly the book was in English. Indy went intoresearch mode,

"And by the might of Akatosh... Akatosh?" Dust followed along with him,

"The Dragon god, lord of the Nine Divines. Well, Eight now, but I find little intriguing in the politics of the present." Indy continued.

"That a gauntlet descended from the High and gained man the power to jump his plains to another, but never reach the High. For those men or mer worthy can take it deep to Tamriel's heart of stone. Heart of stone?" Indy and Dust pondered that last meaning.

"I'm not sure what they mean, referring to that heart of stone. It could mean the digging to the core of Tamriel, possibly the castle of the Empire. I've got other thoughts about what it means, but I'd need more research. Much more research." Dust ran back with the book and started crazily filling through more of the old tomes. Tossing some to other desks and other to the floor, "But that isn't what concerns you yet. First you must find the gauntlet mentioned. It will be most hard to find. Likely lost in the ages..." Tava who had stood in the shadows while the two scholars hashed it out stepped up as Dust went into a nervous ramble,

"Dust, Dust! Where is this gauntlet at? I know you know where." Dust stopped and inhaled a heavy breath through his scaly nostrils. His words slowed down some,

"Yes, yes. I've located the location of an old Dwemer ruins that seems to be my best guess. According to books I've read, the Dwemer that recovered the gauntlet guarded it jealously. You know how those Dwemer..."

"Dust, stay focused. Where are these ruins at?" Tava kept the Argonian on task.

"Ah, you'll like this Tava. The ruins are west of here, in the interior of Alik'r." Indy looked towards Tava, unsure of what Alik'r was. She answered,

"Alik'r Desert. 400 miles of shifting sands and huge buttes. Surviving it is a rite of passage to a Redguard. That's a day's journey ahead of us. We're better off resting here to night, getting supplies in the morning." Tava started towards the door.

"Where you headed?" Indy asked. Tava raised her hood over the sly smile.

"I'm going out for a drink." That didn't sound like too bad an idea to Indy, so he followed. The duo left Dust to finish scanning through books.

They walked down the dusty streets to the one other building in town with lights still burning. Indy stuck his hands in his jacked pocket to avoid the cold chill.

"How about you give me back my grandfather's pocket watch, doll." Indy looked over to Tava. She laughed softly as she pulled the watch from her cloak.

"I wasn't sure what this was, but I figured I could turn it for some gold." She tossed the watch back to Indy, "Here take it. The gold I borrowed from Dust will be enough." The two entered the tavern, "Go, enjoy the bar." Tava motioned Indiana to the bartender as she headed towards the other end of the saloon. Indy took a seat, laid his fedora on the bar, and waved to the tender. His strange hat and duds made him the center of attention at the bar.

"Ain't seen any of your kind roll in here." the bartender stated. Indy cracked a half smile, he was tiring of being asked that question.

"I'll just have the house special." the tender poured Indy a tall glass of ale. Indy took a swig, it was bitter, but his mouth was dry from the desert. He polished off his first rather quickly and motioned the bartender for a second. The barfly next to Indy noticed his intake.

"You seem to be quite the thirsty man." Indy swallowed down his mouthful and replied,

"Yeah, you wouldn't believe the day I've had." The barfly retorted with a humble chuckle.

"You look like an adventurous type. How bout we see who can hold their liquor better?"

"I like to know the name of people I drink with?" Indy smiled back.

"My friend's call me Sam Guevenne. You can just call me Sammy." Indy liked the sound of a friendly competition of spirits. As he started to agree, a burly man approached the bar on Indy's other side. His long gray beard dusted the counter top as he turned to Indy.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Indy saw the old man looked weathered from years of conflict and he had a scar that ran across his eye that was whited out. He felt he was receiving sage advice. Indy turned back to 'Sammy'.

"Sorry, but I think I'm drinking alone tonight." The barfly shot a look of anger at the bearded man, then at Indy.

"I could create some entertainment another way." Sammy grinned as he turned to the man sitting on his other side, "This strange fellow here," pointing at Indy, "says your mother was troll dung, he says." The man was angered by this. He jumped from his stool and swung a fist at Indy. Indy quickly stood up and returned a swing, punching the drunkard in the nose. He stumbled back into a table, spilling the table's drinks. The angry drinkers charged up from the table and the whole tavern turned into a chaotic brawl. Indy had to duck a jab from his front when a bottle smashed across his back. Indy swung around and caught the bottle wielder with a haymaker. Another man tackled Indy against the bar. Indy heaved in pain as he gut punched the patron and struggled him to the floor. He picked himself up only to catch a fist on his chin that staggered him back into two other brawlers. They caught Indy and he cracked a nervous smile. He had to duck quickly causing the two to clock each other. Indy looked across the bar to see a big, fat man wearing his fedora. The man sent a full belly chuckle at Indy. Indiana charged the man with all his might, but he bounced off his massive belly and hit the floor. While on the floor, a swift kick to the knees sent the fat man sailing down like a tall redwood. Indy scooped up his hat and jumped back into the brawl. He grabbed the collar of someone and turned them around. It revealed Tava with handfuls of gold coins and necklaces.

"You had to go and start a bar brawl. These bloated drunks were loaded with coins." Tava pushed Indy aside and throat punched a man charging at them. Indy grabbed Tava firmly by the arm and lead themselves toward the door. They made it into the dark of the night while sounds of busted bottles and smashed chairs emanated from the tavern. The two hustled down the street and made their way inauspiciously back into Dust's house. The lizard was still deep in his books, he didn't look up when he spoke.

"Get in a fight it sounds like. I can smell the spilt ale on your clothes and the ruckus can be heard from here. Never had much of an aptitude for such shenanigans. Anyway, I've been working on pinpointing the Dwemer desert ruins and deciphering the "heart of stone"." The two kept walking heading towards the stairs.

"That's nice Dust, we'll go over it in the morning. You have some rooms up there for us?"

"Yes, the two rooms at the very end. I shall be down here researching all I can throughout the night." Indy was following Tava up the stairs when he looked over to the Argonian a little loose from the ale,

"I applaud your commitment to academics. Wish my students were that diligent."

The two made it to the rooms at the end of the hall. Indy looked over to Tava.

"This has been one eventful day for sure. Wait till Marcus hears this story." Tava's shimmering green eyes gazed back at the rugged archaeologist.

"Well, your day doesn't have to end yet." Indy's half smile returned.

"Awful forward aren't you, sweetheart? Seems unfitting for a thief." He asked her. She pulled her hood back to reveal a playful smile. She tipped up Indy's fedora off his brow. "Well, if my research of this period and culture is to be complete..." They went into one room, Tava had to clear the bed of several dozen books. Indy threw his hat casually on a shelf and slammed the door behind them.

Morning dawned on the desert town. Tava woke up alone in bed. She pulled her clothes back on and headed down the stairs. Indy and Dust had spent the early morning pouring over more of the ancient texts. She climbed over books and helped herself to the coffee near the fireplace.

"Well, our friend Dust here has found the ruins in the desert. They are pretty deep in the desert, but we should be able to reach them." Indy informed the still groggy thief.

"Mmm, yes. It just took walking through a couple old Tamrielic languages to triangulate where the ruins remained. Nothing too bad when you know what your doing." Dust gloated, "The professor here is a quick study, course he got a late start. You two seemed quite busy at night." a hint of smug entered the nervous voice, "I hope my books are still in good condition."

"Don't worry about those books Dust. They weren't in good enough condition to steal in the first place." Tava jested the lizard.

"We'll want to get some gear for the desert work. Maybe some shovels, picks, brushes. The wagon should serve us nicely. I have no ideal what's in this Alik'r Desert, so maybe some weapons." Indy laid the plans out. Dust shot a look at Tava.

"Sounds like you need a blacksmith. Luckily you still know one." This statement caused Tava to roll her eyes,

"Great, I assume you are insinuating that my uncle is still Elinhir's blacksmith?" Dust shook his head in agreement. "We need to start leaving now then. Our family isn't the most forgiving, and most my family doesn't approve of my career. We get there before everyone starts their days. Maybe we can persuade my uncle not to turn me in." Indy grabbed his satchel and hat, while Tava slipped on her long over cloak. Dust spoke to Indy,

"I haven't found the meaning of the 'heart of stone' yet. You can't leave yet." Indy stood in the door and looked back,

"Once we find the gauntlet we'll come back here. Have that ready for us by then. I have faith in you." Indy started to follow Tava out the door. He quickly grabbed a book laying on a nearby end table, "And I'm borrowing this book." Dust raised his hand to stop Indy, but he had already left the door. The duo loaded up into the rickety wagon, most of the original Legion supplies had been used or sold off. They rode down the street towards an open aired blacksmith shop. Before they approached, Indy looked back over to Tava. "I'd like to have my pocket watch back again. The one you took last night." Tava let out an embarrassed smile as she handed the watch back again. The wagon stopped up at the shop. Tava kept her black hood pulled down low as she approached the shop. She jumped from the wagon, with Indy in tow. The shop was anchored around a huge fire pit. A tall, dark man was hammering a blade out on an anvil. The disgruntle tone in Tava's voice was thick enough to slice with a knife.

"Shazem." The man turned his shoulder at the utterance of his name, "I need your help." His face was as cold and stern as the steel he forged. He wiped his hands on his dirty apron as he walked towards them.

"Tava Doulek. By Satakal, you have quite some nerve showing here. Then again, no one ever accused you of being timid." His face was hard and pitted from years at the anvil. Flames blazed in the thief's eyes.

"I did what came naturally. It's all I had when father left and mother was in temple. I don't remember you offering much help." Her words cut as sharp as her dagger. Anger filled his face of steel. He yelled loudly at Tava, but the words were in a tongue Indy couldn't decipher. Tava pressed her face closer to the blacksmith, yelling even louder in the unknown language. Soon their argument turned into a chaotic screaming match. Indy may not understand the language, but he figured they were just swearing at each other by this point. Indy stepped up, in between the two.

"Hey, alright. Family affairs are best not aired in public. Ah, about the task at hand." Both the Redguards looked at Indy sternly, yelling in unison,

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" Shazem the blacksmith turned back to Tava and spoke in English again.

"I should turn you into the guards right now, you dirty thief. And this strange man. What is he, even?" Risking another scolding, Indy stepped forward.

"I'm an archae... adventurer" Indy chose a more local term, "We are headed to an ancient tomb that entails a long trek across the vast Alik'r desert. The tomb, deep in the ground, will be dangerous, deadly. Your thieving, no good niece may not return from such a perilous journey." Indy added as much grandeur as he could to sell his point. Shazem crossed his massive arms to hide his interest. "Now, if we want a devil's of a chance in reaching this tomb we'll need some shovels and picks." Shazem turned from the two and started to walk back to his smoldering anvil. Tava started after him, furiously yelling until his hand went up in silence. Indy caught Tava's coat tail to hold her back.

"I will give you, sell you, the stuff you need. Here," Shazem handed Indy two shovels and picks, which he handed to Tava, who in turned tossed them into the wagon, "And you'll want these for the travel. The desert, she is a dangerous place." Shazem handed Indy a giant great sword. Indy hunched down at the weapon's shear weight. He looked back towards the blacksmith's weapon wall. He spotted a much shorter, simpler looking blade. His voice strained from the weight as he asked.

"What about that one?" Shazem pulled the blade from it's rack.

"This thing? This is no sword of an adventurer. As I crafted this one the steel shatter, making the blade too short. It was not of good proof." Indy took it anyway and inspected.

"This will be just fine. It's a machete. I'm familiar with them." Shazem was puzzled.

"A machete? I've never heard of such a blade." Indy sheathed the machete into his belt and just nodded.

"Do you still have my scimitar?" Tava grunted at her uncle.

"Yes. I keep it in my personal chest." He pulled a delicate and elegant curved sword from a trunk, "Hoping you would return to it one day when you saw the foolishness of your ways." Shazem lectured as he handed her the sword.

"You'll take that dream to the Far Shores too." Tava snarked as she snatched the sword. She turned and started a casual walk to the wagon she whispered to Indy, "Start walking. Now!" Indy turned to follow and then they both broke into a run. Shazem, who had been tending his fire looked up.

"Get back here! You owe me gold! Curse you! Damn you to Oblivion!" The wagon sped off before he could give chase.


	3. Sands of the Gauntlet

It wasn't long before they were entered Alik'r desert. It was as the thief described. Rolling sand dunes spread as far as the eye could see, only broken up by the towering monolithic rocks. Indy fumbled through his satchel to pull out the book he took from Dust's. Tava looked over at Indy.

"Do you have that map? We could drive these horses in a straight line and never find the ruins." Indy pulled the tattered map from the pages of the book and handed them off. He kept his nose in the book. After a quick glance at the map, Tava drove the horses onward. Silence ensued as Indy engaged in his book. Then after an hour of reading Indy looked up.

"These Dwemer were quite interesting. All their dedication to the sciences and logic. If half of what's in this book is true these ruins will be masterpieces, and dangerous. To bad they vanished, there's a mystery there."

"You're starting to sound like Dust, it's not very becoming of you." Indy smugged at that remark, she continued, "Here take the reins for awhile, just head that way." Indy stuffed the book back into his satchel and took the reins. Tava climbed over to the wagon bed. Indy didn't know what she was doing, but he gave up asking. She appeared a few minutes later, trading in her black, hooded cloak for a deep red vest over a simple black tunic. Indy looked over the thief.

"What? Outfits for any occasion, mark of a good thief. Besides, you should worry about the sandstorm we're about to ride into." Tava got to crack the half smile this time as Indy turned forward to see a massive 100 ft wall of sand.

"Do you guys ever have good weather?" Indy joked. When they hit the storm the sand cut into the skin. Indy pulled his hat down and tied a bandanna around his nose and mouth. Tava pulled a rag over her face. The whirling sands blinded the duo, and their horses. The animals were nervously running blind and Indy could feel their tensions in the reigns. He tried to keep them steady as they ran on. They kept running hard and scared until they reared up on their hind legs. Indy tried to drive them on, but the horses wouldn't budge. "What's wrong with them?" Indy asked. They jumped from their seats and pulled on the horses' bridles. No amount of effort could force the steeds to take a step. Tava stepped away from the horses and pulled the scimitar from her belt, her other hand raised to shield her eyes from the sun and sand. Indy saw Tava's defensive position, "What is it?"

"Only one thing will cause horses to freeze like that. Lord Scorpions."

"What?" Indy yelled in confusion across the sand.

"Lord Scorpions, masters of the desert. Scourge of men and mer." Tava sounded like an old poet. Indy followed her lead though and unhitched his bull whip. He kept vigilant as he could straining his eyes through the sand particles, waiting for these Lord Scorpions. Suddenly towers of sand shot high up and when they dissipated Indy saw they were surrounded by several giant scorpions; tails as long as a man, pincers the size of a jeep tire.

"Big, damn scorpions! You could've just said big, damn scorpions." Indy yelled in anger as they creeped in. One struck towards Tava, her scimitar deflected it's stinger.

"Fine! They are big, damn scorpions!" A pincer clasped close to Indy causing the professor to jump back. Indy cracked his whip, causing a hiss from the scorpion. It struck the ground multiple times, blasting sand up with each strike. The massive creature faded in and out of the sandstorm, making fighting them that much worse. Another crack of his whip and Indy latched around the beast's tail. Indy pulled all his might down on his whip against the muscular tail. Winning the struggle of brawn, Indy pulled the scorpion's tail down and sank it's stinger into it's own hide. The scorpion frenzied off into the sandstorm. Indy hectically looked around but Tava and the scorpions were hidden in the sandstorm. He ran forward until the tail end of a scorpion came into view. He grabbed his machete in his off hand and slowly backed up. He felt himself bump into something. He turned sharply with blade raised. His dinky machete locked steel with Tava's scimitar.

"Christ, it's just you." The two put their backs together and stared out into the coarse storm. Indy could hear the hiss of the scorpions out in the sand. "On my left." Indy yelled as a huge beast charged into view. Tava swung around and fired a mass arc of lightning from her fingers. The beast laid paralyzed in the dune. Indy ran up to the immobilized beast and preyed his machete deep in it's head. Two more came up from the storm behind Indy. Tava fought the pincers off with her scimitar, gracefully moving in between the attacks of the beast. Jumping over wide pincer swings, swinging around it's tail. She led the scorpion into it's partner. One stray pincer smacked against the other scorpion. A puff of smoke moved Tava away as the two scorpions started fighting each other. She whisked across the sands through the storm. Indy, had lost Tava again, he heard hissing behind him. He readied his whip expecting a scorpion to reveal itself from the sand. He saw the sand raise around him, as if something was crawling under the skin of the dunes. He followed the bump until the monster behind it raised out of the sand. Before Indy stood a large serpent, it's narrow eyes focused on the frozen archaeologist. Indy dropped his machete in the sand.

"Tava! Tava, get over here! NOW!" Tava was able to find Indy by following the fear in his voice. Just as the snake lunged at Indy Tava's scimitar lodged the snake's jaw open. In cool calm, Tava pulled Indy's Smith & Wesson from it's holster.

"How doe this magic item work?" Tava asked casually, as the snake wiggled around, trying to loosen the scimitar from his jaw. Indy moved his eyes only towards Tava's direction.

"Just, just click the lever on the back. Then, ah, then pull that lever on the bottom." Tava followed his instructions, drawing back the hammer, then steadily aiming at the snake's agape jaw. She pulled the trigger, the bullet was true striking the roof of the serpent's mouth. The recoil caught the thief by surprise knocking her on the ground, Indy stayed frozen for several minutes. Tava picked herself up and stuck the revolver back in Indiana's holster, he still didn't move. She moved over to the dead snake and grabbed her scimitar from the bloody jaw. Finally, after wiping her blade clean and tightening the rag around her nose, she headed back to Indy again. Picking up his machete, she slipped it back in his belt.

"You ready to go?" Her voice echoed with sarcasm. Indy shook his head yes, and let out a whispered "Yeah." He slowly followed after her, keeping an eye for any more snakes. "Indy. The map." Tava waved her hand in front of his face.

"Oh right." Indy snapped out of his shock and pulled the map from his satchel, "Alright where are we at?" Tava looked over his shoulder, pointing to their location. "Okay, we aren't too far from the Dwemer ruins. Be a lot nicer if this sandstorm subsided." Indy complained.

"Don't worry if we're that close I can get us there, even through this storm. Redguards take pride in taming sandstorms." Tava gloated. Indy pulled his hat down snugger as her rolled his eyes. She grabbed the horses by the bridle and they all started walking away from the scene of deceased animals and deeper into the storm's heart.

It was only a few minutes of following the map before they reached the 'X'. There was a large rock wall reaching high into the sky.

"Well. This is where it is." Indy twisted his head around looking for any signs of a lost civilization. The sand was still being swept vigorously across the desert.

"Hey, Indy. Look at these." Tava pointed out etchings carved the length of the rock wall. Indy ran to her side. Had these been the remnants of old Bedouin, Zulu, or Ming scrawled on these walls Indy could've figured it out, but he was still a freshman grad student in Tamrielic historical writings. He looked through the sand at Tava and shrugged.

"Can you make out what these say?" He asked her.

"Do I look like I read ancient Dwemer?" She witted back at him. Indy was quick on the backslide though.

"Figured that was a mark of a good thief." This caused Tava to stick her tongue out at the professor. Indy pulled out the old book from his satchel, "Maybe there's something to guide us in here?" Indy held the book close and examined each page as he flipped through it. The rock wall created a natural buffer against the whipping sandstorm. Indy would periodically look up at the wall writings and referenced them against the book. Tava stared at Indy irritated, as he wandered around the massive rock trying to decipher the writings.

"You want to fill me in?" she asked.

"If I'm reading this right, that section over there," he pointed towards the far left of the rock, "Mentions something about the Dwemer that lived here. This part," motioning to another section of rock, "has to do with the Gauntlet of Akatosh. So we're in the right spot." He moved over to the right side of the rock, "This is just a warning of the 'dangers that lurk under the earth, the perils of the gauntlet' typical warnings trying to scare you off the trail. I always found the Olmec were best at this oogey boogey stuff." Indy laughed at his little joke alone, "And this part is the important one. Says to start digging," Indy took some measured steps in the shifting sands, "right here." Tava pulled a shovel from the wagon bed and tossed it to Indy,

"So dig." she ordered Indiana. He scooped the shovel deep into the sand and started throwing the sand up to be swept away in the wind.

"Aren't you going to help?" Indy stared up at Tava.

"Please, this isn't work fit for a thief." she had a smug look across her face.

"Ha. That's not how things work in the desert, sweetheart." Indy let a chuckle out with that retort. "You're just as capable of digging."

Tava ended up helping dig up the ruins. They dug down 3 ft. when they the shovels made the clank of hitting metal. Indy dropped to his knees and started brushing away the sand to reveal a metal door hidden under all the sand. Indy looked over the delicate metalwork on the door in amazement. Tava grabbed the handle and lifted the heavy hatch while Indy admired the craftsmanship.

"It's just the door. Plenty more down there, out of this sand and wind." Tava started down the spiraling metal stairs into the dark ruins. Indy followed behind.

"Good research means taking in all the notes you can on everything about the culture." Indy lectured like a university professor. Tava pulled a damp torch off the wall and, using her lightning, ignited the torch to illuminate the ruins.

"And good thieving means taking in all you can carry in your pockets and finding a fool to pay top dollar for it. When we start running into the smaller artifacts I'll be more interested." Indy shook his head.

"Most of this stuff belongs in a museum." The stairs descended into a massive, 12 story chamber. The light of the torch stretched far across the room and never reached a wall. They finally reached the stone floor of the city ruins. Indy took lead as he slowly walked forward. He came up on an unusual control panel. Indy pulled a lever on there not sure of what it would do. It caused lights to ignite across the whole ruin. Indy went towards one. "What is that in the light?"

"Soul gems. The Dwemer found a way to use them as a light source." Tava spouted the random fact. A devious grin spread on Indy's face.

"So, you do know more history than you let on."

"Well, sometimes I hear things on the road." her caramel cheeks reddening. Tava saw another button on the panel. She pushed it in. Noise filled the chamber.

"What did you just do?" Indy asked. Sounds of steam engines whistled and hydraulic cylinders clashed across the hall. "This is amazing. Steam power, hydraulic jacks and pumps. This technology is eras ahead of it's time. How did they master this all and then disappear? They were in a bubble of enlightened learning, and yet it didn't spread to the other primitive areas." Tava cleared her throat purposely to show her disapproval. "Ah, not that you guys aren't uncivilized. You've got the whole magic thing going for you." More gears started clicking and steam pressure busted some of the aged pipes. The sudden jolt of life had the unmaintained equipment tumbling and the building crumbling around them. "Move!" Indy grabbed Tava's wrist and moved across the ruins as they fell down around them. Large chunk of stone crashed sending gravel and dust that coated the sweaty archaeologist. A tall metal column snapped from it's base and landed in front of them. Tava somersaulted over the thick beam while Indy climbed up and rolled off it.

"Hurry up!" Tava yelled as she gained a lead. Indy stumbled behind her. A major pipe burst spraying steam across the floor.

"Watch out." Indy ran up to shield Tava under himself from the spewing steam. He could feel the heat on the water condensating on the back of his shirt. Indy spotted a door leading to another section of the ruins and out of the crumbling chamber. A large, decorative metalworking was about to crash down and block the door. Tava dived into the door while Indy dug in his heel and baseball slide across the doorway. His hat fell off behind him. He quickly reached back and snatched it up before the large decoration crashed down and blocked them into the new room. This one had a lower roof, but it was just as long. Tava walked forward to examine the room. Her third step caused a sink in the floor. She froze in her spot, until darts shot from the nearby wall. She weaved around the darts and rolled out from the line of fire. Indy picked up one of the expended darts and touched it to his tongue tip. He quickly spit, "Yep, poison tipped. Seems you guys and the Hovitos shared some trap details. Watch your steps in here." They proceeded slowly across the trap room. "Stepping on a pressure plate. Looks like you aren't as good as a thief as you let on." As Indy cracked that joke at Tava's expense his foot grazed a tripwire that he didn't catch. Two spinning saw blades shot out from the wall traveling across the room. Tava quickly tackled Indy to the ground as the whizzing blades flew over head and disappeared into the other side of the walls. Indy pulled himself off the floor and dusted off his front. He extended a hand and pulled up Tava, "You don't need to say anything." Indy could see the sarcastic look on her face. They continued on, stepping precariously over more pressure plates and tripwires, Tava doing it more gracefully than Indiana. She was the first to reach the other side of the room.

"Hey, Indy. The door's shut up here. There's a couple of levers up here. Which should I pull?" Indy was still clumsily hopping around the booby trapped floor. He raised his index finger in patience as he stumbled farther. Indy's slow and steady approach made Tava impatient. "Oblivion will get here before you do." she dogged sarcastically. Indy ignored the crack and finally reached the wall. He examined the four levers. Using Dust's book, Indy did more cross referencing. Closely comparing the symbols above each lever and the door to similar ones in the book. Tava went over to the far left one, "Let's try this one." she slammed the lever down. Indy looked up terrified,

"Wait!" He was too late to stop her. Flames shot down in a stream covering the the entrance. Indy jumped back yelling, "Hot. Hot! Hot!" he threw down his book on ancient Dwemer as it turned to ash. He grabbed his fedora to swat out the fire on his satchel. Tava smacked her hand against the burning tails of her red vest. Indy looked over to her and in an exhausted tone, "Don't do that again." His voice hinted anger. Tava stood in the corner with arms crossed. Indy ran his fingers through his hair in contemplation before snugging his hat back on. It was a little tougher for him without his book. He rubbed his hands against the stone symbols trying to notice any subtle clues as he studies them. After several minutes of staring at each choice Indy spoke, "See that marking there. I think the book said it was the Dwemer sign of enlightenment." he picked the lever and gave it a tug. Gears started to click, and the door opened leading to a new room. They wandered into the circular room. In the center of the room stood a pedestal and perched on it was the Gauntlet of Akatosh. It's dark green metal reflected the light of the Dwemer lanterns. Both adventures approached it slowly, keeping an eye out for more traps. They reached the gauntlet.

"Wow. Just look at it. So, shiny." Tava started to brush the delicately carved gauntlet. Indy tensed up in fear,

"Wait! Wait. Don't touch it. It's got to be booby trapped." he scolded as he slapped her hand down. Tava grabbed her palm,

"But look at that artwork. It's amazing." Indy squatted down to eye level with the gauntlet.

"Stand back. I've got to find a way to disarm the trigger." Indy waved the thief back. He kept a steady eye on the pedestal, looking for where the trigger might be. "Ha, a weight trigger, classic." Indy turned back to Tava, "let me see that bracelet." Indy held his hand out while Tava unlatched the long, decorative gold bracelet from her wrist. When she laid it in his hand Indy tossled it around a bit to get a feel for it's weight. "This should work just fine." Indiana leaned over the pedestal and quickly switched the bracelet out for the gauntlet. With the powerful glove in hand, Indy stepped back from the center of the room and looked around, waiting for something bad to happen. Seconds past with nothing. Indy laughed hesitantly as he pulled his hat off to wipe his brow with his shirt sleeve. Indy pulled the gauntlet up to his face to study it. "Well. We've got it. Now how to get out." As they started to inspect the room for a secret exit, the bracelet slipped off the pedestal. The whole apparatus started to sink into the ground with a rumble. Indy looked around, "Sonnuvabitch". More gears and steam sounds filled the room and the decorative Dwemer walls jumped to life into robotic spiders. "Machines that move like animals. The Nazis don't even have technology this advance."

"That's nice! More fighting less admiring." Tava ordered as she drew her scimitar. Indy stowed the gauntlet in his satchel and pulled out his whip. He cracked it over his head, but the robotic spiders didn't stumble.

"Right. Machines, they don't get scared." Indy cracked his whip again latching against one of the spiders' legs. The machine pulled hard against Indy. A quick wrist flip in the right motion and the spider leg detached from itself spewing gears and oil. Another spider jumped onto Indy's back, knocking the archaeologist down. Tava took a running swing at the machine and cut in clean in half. It's oil spilling on Indy. "Ah, yuck." Indy blew his lips to dispel the oil on his mouth. As he wiped the grease from his eyes he saw another spider tinkering towards him. Indy let out a wild punch to repel the robot. It connected and the metal of the spider won against Indy's flesh. He yelped in pain as he shook his damaged hand. Tava appeared from nowhere to destroy this spider too. Indy blindly swung his whip around his feet in a sweeping circle, his eyes still burning with oil. The end of the kangaroo hide caught Tava's leg and tripping her up.

"Pay attention!" Tava yelled and followed it up with some swear words in native language. A spider crawled over top the downed thief. Indy finally gained his sight back and clenched his whip tighter. Another crack extended the whip around the spider's body and with a heavy tug sent it flying off Tava and back across the room. The last robotic spider leaped up into the air towards Indy. He quickly pulled his machete out of his gun belt and held it above him. The spider landed on it, effectively spearing it on the short sword, it's oil started to leak down. Indy slipped it off his blade and went over to Tava. "There. A door out." Indy pointed to a newly opened passage. They carefully climbed over the stone rubble and towards the light of day. The desert finally laid before them again. Their wagon, and point of entry, was 2 miles to their south. The sandstorm had subsided, so the trip back wasn't as perilous.

They rolled back into the town of Elinhir has the sun started to set. Indy pulled the horses to a stop, in front of Shazem's blacksmith shop, which had been abandoned for the day. Tava climbed into the back and loudly whispered,

"What are you doing? Trying to get us killed." Indy ignored her as he pulled the shovels and picks from the wagon and laid them near the giant fire pit. Tava continued to peek around just above the wagon, nervously looking for guards. Indy left a note that simply said 'Thanks'. He got back into the wagon and started down the main street. The two helped themselves into Dust's house. The lizard man was in the middle of practicing his flute when they startled him.

"I didn't take you for a musician." Indy was pleasantly surprised.

"Ah, I find the simple rhythmic nuances of music a nice rest from the vigorous reading." Dust explained in his speedy tongue. "Did you find the gauntlet? I assume you must of since you came back to me, alive. Let me see it." Indy smiled at the Argonian's enthusiasm. He pulled the powerful gauntlet from his satchel and handed it to Dust. The lizard readily snatched it up and began pouring over all the details. "Oh, this reminds me. I have pinpointed what the 'heart of stone' is and with this gauntlet I can use the inscribing on it to give you all the details." Dust scurried back over to his desk with the gauntlet. Using a roll of paper and charcoal he started to scratch out a rubbing of the markings. As he got halfway through the rubbing he looked back to the professor. "My book you borrowed?" Indy looked around with an ashamed look,

"Ah. Let me help you with this decryption." Indy went over and started to examine the sketching.

"Hmm. I see. Lost it in the ruins. That will be hard to replace." Dust's nostrils tightened with displeasure.

"Don't worry bookworm. I'm sure plenty of rich kings have a copy of that old book laying on their bookshelf collecting dust. Next time I give them a visit I'll borrow a copy for you." Tava comforted the jittery lizard. She started up the creaky stairs again. "You two scholars have fun with your little glove. I'm going to sleep." Indy waved her off and set his hat up on a shelf, prepared for a long night of research.


	4. Night on Orc Mountain

Tava was again greeted in the morning by Indy and Dust pouring over more details. Their faces of fervor excitement.

"Good. You're up. Come look at this. I think this lizard figured it out." Indy motioned the uninterested Tava over to the desk. The excited lizard started to explain the scratchings.

"So this first part tells the story of Akatosh, nothing of help in the riddle of a 'heart of stone'. Then it goes on with the story, but these details include hidden clues for a map key. The 8 Divines, 9 regions of Tamriel, 20 Septim rulers, and other numbers give us the coordinates. Running those through some math equations with other map legends gives us a location of this 'heart of stone'..." Dust was talking a mile a minute and only speeding up in excitement. Tava slapped Dust across the snout. This caused him to twitch his head around like a lost prairie dog.

"You're losing me in all this. Slow it down, in Imperial please." Dust recouped himself and started off again.

"The 'heart of stone' isn't a place. Well it is, but it isn't. Those deemed worthy can take it to the heart of stone, like the legend said." Indy nodded his head in agreement, "The heart of stone is Akatosh's heart, well not really, metaphorically speaking. Deep in the core of Tamriel is a temple built around this heart of stone. It is only at this stone altar deep in that temple can the gauntlet allow you to jump plains. When placed in the 'stone heart' the gauntlet creates a 'Dragon Break'. See Akatosh is god of both time and dragons. An interesting combo I always thought. Anyway, when you create this break you will be jumped back to your plain of existence." Dust inhaled a long breath after rattling through all that. Indy patted Dust across the back.

"That's amazing. You've done it. One more question. Where do we get into this temple of stone?" Dust raised his scaly index finger and let out an 'Ah'. He scurried across his living room, stumbling over some books left on the floor. A map of the continent was pulled down over his chalkboard. He ran his finger furiously over the map till it rested on a spot.

"Here." He tapped a location. Tava peeked over from her spot to see where.

"Back in southern Skyrim? We've already been there."

"That is where the temple is. That is where you must go." Tava looked down at the ground and scratched her neck.

"That may be easier said than done. I had to leave there in a hurry..." Tava mumbled out. Dust rolled his eyes.

"Of course, and now the whole province is looking for you. I expect no better from a thief."

"Least I don't spend my days rotting away over old books. When was the last time you left this house?" Tava argued back as her heated stare pierced the dried skin of the lizard. Indy walked over to the map and studied it as the two argued in the background, Tava was winning against the timid Argonian. He broke up the fight before it got worse, for Dust.

"What if we went through this country here?" Indy pointed to a little province on the map. Dust looked over to answer Indy's question.

"That is Orsinium. A cruel, harsh, solitaire, mountainous land inhabited by cruel and harsh people, the Orcs. I would recommending avoiding that dreadful place at all costs." Indy thought silently on it, his options were limited.

"Well, if we cross the border from Hammerfell the local law will pick us up for sure. Our chances would be slim. If this Orsinium is as reclusive as it is I'd bet good money that border isn't nearly as guarded. It's our best shot." Tava simmered down to join the conversation.

"Yeah, there's a reason they don't guard those borders. No one is crazy enough to visit the Orcs homeland. They're not known for their hospitality. Orcs are territorial and brutal." Tava explained to the green archaeologist. Indy cracked his half smile at Tava.

"But surely the world's best thief could get us through without being caught." Tava responded with an even slier smile.

"I wouldn't say 'world's best', but I've never been caught yet." Tava gloated. That last remark caused Dust to shoot a devilish look at the thief, "That one time in Black Marsh doesn't count. Fine, we go through Orsinium."

After some time passed, allowing Tava to don her black hooded coat again, Indy to clear up more details with Dust, and trade their wagon and pull horses for smaller, faster, Hammerfellian stallions. "Here Dust, hold on to this for me." Tava handed Dust her delicate scimitar.

"Why should I keep this? Won't you want this for your journey?" Dust asked in a puzzled voice. Tava placed her soft hand on Dust's shoulder.

"Keep it for me. A large sword like that isn't fit for a thief. My dagger will serve me well. Besides, this is an old family sword. I'd rather not associate with my family. They feel the same of me." Dust took the sword. He was unsure what to do with it. He wandered around looking for a spot to stow it. Indy pushed down the crown of his fedora and motioned Tava to the door out. She went out to prepare the horses.

"This may be the last we meet. For a talking man lizard I must say I consider you an intellectual better." Indy bid Dust a farewell, "And I'm borrowing this book too." Indy grabbed another book from Dust's shelves, this one on the ancient gods of Tamriel. Dust sighed in depression, losing another treasured book. Indy saddled up and followed Tava at full gallop as they left Elinhir, and Hammerfell headed for the Orc homeland.

Riding through the desert was long and uneventful until the duo encountered a large mountain range.

"The Wrothgarian Mountains. We ride into those, we ride into the heart of the Orcs' home." Tava explained, then looked over to Indy with a mixed expression, "You sure about this?" Indy looked at her, then back at the imposing mountains. With only a slight hesitation Indy spurred his horse onward into the deep mountain pass. Tava rode hard to catch up to him. The pass was narrow and crooked. The high, pale gray walls were jagged with rocks. The whole land and sky had a dismal gray pallet.

"No wonder these Orcs are as brutal as you say. This is unforgiving terrain." Indy made an idle observation.

"Let's just get through this path and to the border before we attract too much attention." Tava ordered. The two horses were making good time through the mountains, even on the steep inclines. They wound farther into the mountains until they were surrounded by all sides by the gray rocks. The horses approached a sharp curve. As the steeds trotted around it, their riders were greeted by two other horses mounted by fierce Orcs. They were tall men, their skin a sickly olive drab. Most their body covered in thick, coal black armor. A low voice bellowed across the tusks of one of the monsters.

"Outsiders are not welcomed in Orsinium. You leave now, we won't kill you." the Orc guard gave the ultimatum.

"Listen, we want no trouble from you. If you let us pass we will travel quickly and leave this country." The guard looked at Indy and chewed his proposition around in his wide jaw.

"You are not our kin, wizard. You will come with us, we will see if you are worthy of your skin." The guards urged the duo down the pass. Indy wondered why he was referred to as a 'wizard' then he realized he that again, he wasn't in native clothing. The Orcs led the two into a gated town. Indy looked around the small community.

"Eyes down outsiders. You aren't worthy to stare at our kin."

"You this hospitable to all your guests?" Indy chuckled out his sarcasm. Tava's eyes widened with shock at Indy's boldness. The guard let out a deep, primal grunt to show his distaste at Indy's joke. The four horses stood in front of the largest building in the town, a stone castle carved into the side of the gray mountain.

"Chief Hobablob!" One guard yelled to the castle. A group of Orcs emerged from the stone structure. They all seemed to orbit around a central figure. He was a hardy Orc, decorated in fine furs and animal hides. The mounted guard addressed him, "Chief. These outsiders were riding hard through the Malacath Pass. They insisted on traveling through here. What shall be their fate?"

"Listen, we don't need to start anything. We are headed to Skyrim. Just let us pass through and we will be out of your hair by nightfall." Indy pleaded his case to the chief. Tava looked over to him again and angrily whispered,

"Be quiet. Orcs do things, differently. And you aren't helping us." While Tava explained their situation, the chief decided their fates. He looked at the two, noting Indy's strange dress and the overall demeanor of the two. He then spoke in a voice layered in gravel.

"So, you seek only to pass through our motherland." Indy nodded, "To travel to Skyrim." Tava nodded this time, "You then treat my beloved motherland like a trotted horse path, you disrespect her and my kin." the gravel in his voice grew more agitated. Indy quickly jumped in,

"No, your chieftianship. We mean no disrespect to you, your kin, or Orsinium. We are simply on a time sensitive mission." Indy spoke with his hands. His tone attempting to calm the mood, to little avail.

"Enough! Your words bore me. You want passage through our mountains you will prove yourself outsider. Prove yourself in the Orcish tradition of sparring!" The chief's announcement garnered an excited cheer from the village. They were about to get a free show. Indy dismounted his horse and rubbed his neck in worry,

"Okay. So who do we box?" Indy asked cautiously. This caused Chief Hobablob to utter a laugh that spread to the rest of the crowd.

"Only you shall fight wizard! The girl shall watch you die. For you shall fight Hartwog!" That name gave away to even louder cheers. A circle of curious bystanders formed, Tava was forced into the crowd. An Orc appeared in the empty circle with Indiana. Indy barely came up to the massive mer's chest. His wide, green shoulders supported an even thicker neck. The orc, obviously the Hartwog Indy had to best, wiped his hands on his long fur pants, his only article of clothing. His beady eyes settled on the archaeologist.

"Disrobe outsider. This is the honored tradition of sparring." the massive mer's voice could rumble down a mountain. Indy walked over to Tava in the crowd, never taking his eyes off Hartwog. He handed her his jacket, shirt, and satchel. Then he gave Tava his hat, which she proceeded to try on at different jaunty angles. Indy walked back over to the ring's center, facing his opponent. Indy sized him up, way up. There was no way he could take down this mammoth, he was the size of the mountain he lived on. Indy still had his wit.

"So, is there a bell, or how do we start this?" The massive Orc swung a hard left hook knocking Indy back to the ground, sliding 3 feet across the hard stone. "Alright, so that's how we're doing it." Indy wiped the spit from his chin as he stood up. He charged at Hartwog and smashed his fist into the Orc's gut. Indy felt like he hit a ton of bricks, quickly pulling his fist back and massaging the pain out. Hartwog chuckled at his foolish attack, the crowd joined in on the merryment. Hartwog extended a fast right fist. Indy was able to duck it, and avoid losing his head. He popped back up and tried to land a punch on Hartwog's side, he had similar results, hurting his other hand. Hartwog grabbed Indy by the neck in his massive clutch, lifting the professor's feet off the gray ground. Indy struggled against the thick fingers as they slowly strangled him. Hartwog's tusks curved into a devilish smile as he watched Indy flail for his life. Indy couldn't pry the fingers off his throat and the air was getting thin. Finally one of Indy's boots caught Hartwog in his groin. The Orc quickly dropped Indy as he doubled over in pain. Indy took the chance to plant the heel of his boot on the Orc's head. It hurt his foot, but seemed to hurt Hartwog more.

"You will not defeat me, you cannot defeat might Hartwog!" The mountain of a mer charged at Indy. He sidestepped his way out of the line of fire. A clothesline from behind caught Indy in the back. He dropped to his knees, the wind knocked out of him.

"Indiana, watch out!" Tava yelled from the cheering crowd as Hartwog thundered up behind Indy with his fists raised like solid boulders. Indy made a quick dive roll to avoid the two heavy hands smashing the ground, cracking the very mountain itself. Hartwog was bent down and exposed from this move and Indy took advantage. He started a flurry of punches on the Orc's head. Left, right, left, right, hook, jab. The monster started to trickle blood from his nose. He used his wide palm to push Indy away from him. Indy found himself laying on the stone again. His breathing was heavier as Hartwog pulled himself up. Indy got up first and ran towards the staggering Orc. He jumped over Hartwog's shoulders onto his back. Indy took a tusk in each hand and pulled on them like steering reins. Hartwog frenzied around the ring swatting his hands trying to knock Indy off his back. One of the large fists started on a path towards Indy's head. He dropped the tusks and slid off the Orc's back. Hartwog's fist crashed on his own head. The deafening blow sent the huge mass of muscles clammering to the ground, the whole mountain shaking with him. The crowd was aghast as Indy stood victorious over the undefeated mammoth. Tava ran out to meet Indy and hand him his shirt back. As Indy slipped the leather strap of his satchel over his shoulder Chief Hobablob approached the travelers.

"You've proved your worth outsider. You may consider yourself kin to the Orc. I will permit you safe passage through our mountains on your journey." Chief Hobablob beat a fist against his chest in respect, "May Malacath guide you." Not to disrespect their culture Indy returned the gesture. He turned to his horse and rode out of the town to Orsinium's Northern edge with Tava in tow. As they rode out of the fortified town Indy looked over to Tava.

"You forgot to hand my watch back again." The thief pulled the trinket from her coat,

"You aren't any fun Indiana."

The border between the two brutal nations was patrolled only by one small trader's outpost that edged up against the separation line. The duo stopped at the depot to water their tired horses. While Tava tended to the horses Indy looked around the Orcish bazaar, taking in the different shops and carts. He saw people selling jewelery, food, tack, clothes, decorative trinkets, camping supplies, and a few weapons. Indy started to gaze at one of the unique curio shops when a man approached him.

"Now I know I've seen that hat only once before, not too common." Indy turned towards the wise voice. It was the same bearded man from the bar in Hammerfell. His gray beard now matted to his long, tangled, fur armor, his bad eye covered in a stripe of red war paint. Indy looked at the man surprised to see him again.

"If I didn't know better I'd suspect you were following me?" Indy replied casually. The stranger replied with a hearty, woodsman laugh. Resting his hand on his ax belt he replied,

"Oh, ho. No, my friend. We both seem to have an aptitude towards adventuring. There are only so many roads before we run into each other again." His answer seemed sincere enough to Indiana, "I've tired of the road and so I'm returning to my homeland, the beautiful tundras of Skyrim. I assume you are heading the same?"

"Yeah. Going to do some cave diving." Indy made up an excuse to avoid giving away any valuable info. The small smile on the big man knew that Indy was lying, but he was fine with it.

"There is a small party fording across the border soon, you would be wise to tag along with us."

"Why are you so willing to help me? First the bar, now here. I don't even know your name." Indy wasn't quick to trust, even if the man's eyes, or at least the good one, conveyed wisdom and honesty.

"I am known through the lands as Oleg the Gray. I've been at this for many a years. And through those years I've learned good intentions and willingness is the best way to live." Indy couldn't argue with that logic, and he seemed to believe the man of the wilderness.

"Alright, Oleg. I suppose we'll follow your group into Skyrim." Oleg extended a worn fur hide glove that Indy met with a handshake. Tava walked up to the two with the horses' reigns in her hand. Her hood hid her green eyes as she looked over the stranger.

"Who is this?" she looked angrily at the husky frontier fighter.

"You need not worry thief.." Oleg started. Tava quickly interjected,

"Who said I was a thief?" her words could outrun Dust's. A hearty smile spread across Oleg's face,

"Never have I seen a bard dressed like that. Only someone trying to hide wears a hood."

"Maybe I'm an assassin?" Tava fought back.

"Your hands are soft, and fingers nimble. That's the mark of a thief." Oleg put his decades of world wise to use.

"So you've spent a few years on the road. I can do that too. That scar on your eye, you lost a fight with a Khajiit. Most people I met with a tangled mess of hair dressed in fur armor were barbarians. But you are better trained than those dogs to be civilized, so you are a woodsman turned adventurer." Tava deduced, "and that ring, the most valuable artifact you have worth stealing, proves you have a wife at home, probably one you met in your travels. That's been my experience, and you adventurers are witches to rob, never settling in populated towns." Tava drove her point home. Oleg let out a smug laugh in approval.

"This is enjoyable and all, but about that party leaving for the border?" Indy interrupted the pissing contest.

"Ah yes, my friends. If you are ready let us head to the meeting." Oleg motioned on as he picked up the round, steel shield propped up on his leg.


	5. Blood in the Snow

There was a large group of soldiers lining up near the border. The three adventurers faded into the back of the ranks. Tava took account of all the soldiers. They weren't dressed in Imperial red. The soldiers instead wore fur dyed in blue, their shields adorned by bears.

"Wait," Tava looked around curiously, "Are these those Stormcloak rebels? The resistance movement in Skyrim. Pushing them to the brink of civil war." she asked, concern sneaking out in her voice.

"That would be these Stormcloaks my mischievous friend." Oleg jolly answered. "But do not worry. I've been far from home too long to take any sides in the matter. The Stormcloaks aren't picky with the company that travels with them." he eased the concern of Tava, then he pointed to a well dressed man standing at the head of the rebel column, "That's Ulfric Stormcloak himself." this fact put Tava back on edge. She turned to Indy and whispered low enough to hide her voice from the humorous wildman.

"I don't like this. I don't belong in the spotlight. Political struggles aren't the realm of thieves."

" After all this I think you can give up on your 'marks of a good thief'." Indy joked. A simple childish turn up of her nose was all Indy got in response. The two were interrupted by Oleg's booming voice,

"Come my friends. The rebels are moving out." he waved them over to the marching soldiers. The trio fell in behind, keeping a low profile. The force marched across the border emerging from a gray mountain pass onto the white open tundra of Skyrim. Indy was back to where he started. As they trudged along Oleg asked Indy an unusual question,

"That whip you carry, few are trained in that art. Who taught you my friend? The Khajiit?" Indy was surprised Oleg neglected to mention his strange dress and odd hat.

"Oh, I'm actually self taught. As evident by this." Indy tapped the scar on his chin. Oleg raised his eyebrow in appreciation.

"Hmm. That is quite a trick. The whip is not a..." Oleg's dissertation was cut short by yells from the column's front.

"AMBUSH!"

"Imperials, watch out!"

"Protect Ulfric!" were some of the discernible shouts in the crowd. Tava let out an exhausted sigh as she pulled her dagger out and snapped invisible. Oleg turned to his friends, his ax in hand, shield raised.

"Stay with me friends! Where is the thief?" Oleg looked around confused.

"Oh she's somewhere around here." Indy witted as he drew out his machete. Indy did his best to stay on Oleg's heels. The old frontier warrior found a group of Imperials. With one motion of his mighty arm Oleg smashed his shield against the skull of an Imperial. A sword from the left came in. Oleg caught it in the nook of his ax and a swift motion disarmed the soldier. The swordless soldier was quickly ended by an overhead chop. Indy locked swords with a soldier. They exchanged blows and parries, but Indy wasn't the superior swordsman. A lucky shot on the soldier's part knocked Indy to the ground. His machete skid across the cold stone road. The enemy soldier's sword point etched at Indy's throat. Then, the soldier fell with a thud, revealing the sleek, black figure that was Tava, bloody dagger in hand. She then stopped a charging soldier with a blast of lightning. He twitched to the ground. Indy took Tava's extended hand and pulled himself up.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I won't always be here to save you Indiana." Tava laughed at the beaten professor. A mighty warrior yell from Oleg drew attention to a soldier sneaking up on the thief. Oleg threw his shield like a Frisbee, cracking the soldier in the back. One came at the warrior. Oleg pulled him up in one hand by his throat and tossed him into his fellow Legionaries. Oleg spun around and caught one more soldier with his bloodied hatchet. Indy grabbed his whip, back in his comfort zone, a snap created a wide space between Indy and the enemy. A Legionarie with shield raised went towards Indy. A quick crack pulled the shield down and stumbled the soldier into Indy's waiting fist. Then Indy tripped up a soldier who fell to the ground, causing those behind him to trip over him. Tava appeared from thin air to electrocute the pile of soldiers, then vanished back again. A large group of Legionaries charged towards Indy, more than he could take. He drew his revolver and aimed it toward the mob. His shot rang out of the barrel. It struck one soldier and frightened the others with his 'unknown magic'. Then he ran away, through a crowd of Stormcloaks. He took shelter behind a snow bank. Indy peeked over to see the battle continue. Tava snapped next to him, Indy still wasn't used to that.

"So, who's winning?" she asked.

"Right now, Oleg." Indy answered humorously. The woodsman was unstoppable on the field. Tava pulled a bow off her back she had grabbed from the field and drew back an arrow. The bolt rang true striking a soldier in the chest. Indy took the bow,

"Let me see that. Used to be a decent shot with this back in the Scouts." he pulled an arrow out of a nearby dead soldier and leveled the bow down the field. The string wobbled as the arrow flew into the air. Indy didn't see where it landed, but he heard a shout ring out above the rest of the battle chatter.

"Ow! My knee!" Indy's face turned red.

"Okay, my aim isn't what it used to be." he said sheepishly as Tava jerked the bow back from Indiana. A Legionarie sneaked up on the two prone heroes. He didn't notice the branch snap under his feet. Tava's delicate hearing caught it and she rolled over on her back to see the stealthy soldier. She pulled a dagger from her boot and with a artful throw, implanted it in the soldier's neck. Indy noticed the commotion and started to get up. An Imperial stumbled back into Indiana. Indy caught him and turned the dazed soldier around to award him with a left hook to the jaw.

"Indy, this isn't our fight. Time to go!" Tava yelled across the field. Indy saw that the Stormcloaks they were traveling with were losing this fight, so did Oleg. After deflecting with his shield the wild man shouted to Indiana.

"My friend. I fear we are on the losing side of this fight. Leave now, no need for us all to be killed today." the jolly tone still emanated from his voice. Indy turned and escaped with Tava in his grip. He didn't like leaving the helpful man behind, but he was ready to get away from this land and back to Sweden. Unknown to Indy, Oleg would later end up on a wagon with other captured Stormcloaks. Indy and Tava ran across the empty snow lands. Tava stopped and pointed at a cave to hide in.

"I don't think so. Not trying that again." a chuckle accompanied his half smile. They ran some more until a mountain blocked their path. A quick look behind them showed they had escaped the battle.

"Well we are safe. Where's this temple then Mr. Academic?" Tava asked as they caught their breath. Indy took a seat on a nearby stump as he dug through his satchel. He pulled out old books, tattered papers, and handwritten notes and searched furiously through them. He unfolded a map and studied over it. Pushing his hat up on his brow as he tried to make heads or tails of it.

"What's the name of this mountain?" he asked. Tava looked up the imposing mountain, littered with snow and rock.

"Think that's the Throat of the World. Tallest mountain I ever encountered." With that answer, Indy looked back down at the map.

"Good. Then according to this the entrance to this long lost temple should be near the northern base of this mountain." Indy drew an imaginary line with his finer on the map.

"Well, perfect. We are on the south side, that means we've got to walk all the way around." Tava was tiring of this adventure.

"We could climb over it." Indy suggested knowing that would get shot down.

"Like Oblivion we are. Just kill me with that metal thing on your hip now." she yelled in quiet anger. This caused Indy to laugh. He pulled out his Smith & Wesson, flipped open the load gate and inspected the cylinder.

"You're out of luck. I fired my last shot back there in the ambush." he joked at the boiling thief. She pushed her way past the laughing professor and started the trek around the mountain.

"We don't even have our horses any more. Left those back in Orsinium. There's a bloodstain on my coat. My feet are killing me..." Her tired rantings dribbled into her native tongue. Indy couldn't help but keep laughing at her. The trip around the Throat of the World was littered with more snow, trees, and rocks. Not too many dangerous people or animals. Indy lost his gaze in the expansive woods surrounding the mountain's base.

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep." Indy recited a Frost poem. Tava took a moment from her rantings to stare profoundly at Indy, taking in his artistic outburst.

"That was... that was actually beautiful. Where did you hear that?"

"One of my colleagues at Barnett, the English professor, recommended this book to me. That was the one poem I liked in it." Indy explained.

"Hmm, I'll have to remember that one." Tava took a liking to the poem stanza.

Before they realized the two had made it to Throat of the World's northern slope. Indy started looking around the base, scouring for the lost entrance. There was a Nordic totem statue protruding through the snow. Indy gave it a push, nothing clicked. He tried to twist it, it gave a little, but ice around it's base was thick.

"Come over here. See if that hog sticker of yours can chip off this ice." Indy ordered as he started to dig away the deep snow. Tava walked over with a confused look.

"My hog sticker?" Indy hung his head down.

"I forgot, your dagger. It's an off color term for a knife." Understanding now, Tava pulled her dagger from under her cloak and jabbed the ice off of the old totem. The leather gloves on Indy's hands were soaked wet from digging away the snow. The nip of the cold started to sting his fingers. Tava carved off the last piece of ice and the totem shifted to life. Indy stood back up and man handled the totem to turn, "Give me a hand." With the two working the totem began to spin on it's own power. Indy raised his arm in a protective manner in front of Tava as they backed up from the whirling totem. A circle of ground around the statue started to descend into the ground creating steps.

"I may not be a tomb raider like you, but I'm guessing those lead to our lost temple?" Tava sarcastically stated. Indy shot back with,

"Don't fall behind sweetheart." He started down the narrow tunnel of stairs. He pulled a torch from the wall and stuck the end in Tava's face, "Can I get a light?" she used a jolt of electricity to ignite the torch.

"My father taught me that spell after he used it to become one of Tamriel's best mages and I'm using it to light torches." Indy could hear the cynical disappointment in her voice.

"Well, the way you electrified those soldiers back there was noteworthy." Indy replied humorously. This was only answered by an eye roll. The stone walls were covered in moss and water trickling down the staircase from the snow melting into the ground. They traveled deep into the ground, so deep they lost sight of the daylight above them. The stairs finally ended in a doorway. Indy wandered around the dark room until he found a large brazier. He dip his torch into the petrol, igniting the lamp. The fire spread across a channel of braziers, illuminating a grand chamber. "We found it. The heart of stone."


	6. The Tomb of Tamriel

"Don't get ahead of yourself Indy. We've still got to get through this temple." Tava looked around the chamber. "That figure up there." Tava pointed towards a large monument of a burly man grasping a sledgehammer, "That's Zenithar, one of the Divines. God of work, most his stuff isn't worth stealing. Real low brow." Indy studied the bust and the rest of the room.

"And it looks like we have to get through him to move on. See there." Indy pointed to the sealed door under the monument. "Here, look on the floor. There's tracks carved into the stone." Indy observed some more, "And I bet that's what those run on." He pointed to stone statues of an anvil, hammer, and bellows. Tava scratched her finger on her delicate chin.

"I suppose we have to make them line up in a certain order. To solve this puzzle basically."

"Yep, that's usually how these things work." Indy explained as he pulled out his book on Tamrielic religions. While Indy shuffled through the chapters on Zenithar Tava started interacting with the puzzle, pushing the anvil one direction, and the hammer another. Indy muttered notes to himself as he took in the info. Tava realized the anvil was blocking the path of the bellows. She had to rearrange the puzzle pieces, each dependent on the position of the other. As Indy started to flip through more pages, Tava made the three pieces interlock on the floor. Indy looked up from his book to see the monument raise it's sledgehammer into the air and unsealing the door.

"I figured it out. Come on Indiana." Tava called Indy with a wave of her finger. They walked through the door and entered another chamber. No giant monument in this one. Instead vines covered the walls of the ancient room and crept down across the floor, sprouting colorful flowers. In the middle of the room sat a large tree. It was under a beam of natural light, Indy didn't know how light got down this far in the ground, but it was there. He flipped through the book.

"Guessing this is the chamber for Kynareth, the goddess of nature?" He examined the tree and read some lines from the book, then examined the tree some more. He recited a line, "Kynareth smiles on those which accept her fruit." Indy looked high up into the tree, "Up there at the top. Looks like some kind of plum fruit." Tava's green eyes gazed over her black hood up to the tree's peak.

"Okay, so what about it?"

"I think we have to climb up this thing and eat one of those plums to open the next door. Gotta love ancient puzzles." Indy stowed the book away in his satchel, straightened up his hat, and approached the tree. With bull whip in hand, he leaped to the first branch and pulled himself on top of it. He dug his boots into the bark and snapped his whip on a higher branch. The whip carried him across to the other side of the tree where he ran into a large limb with his chest. It knocked the air out of him, but he climbed atop it. He climbed a few smaller limbs like a rock climbing wall until he was in whip's reach of the fruit dangling preciously at the top. He cracked the whip and struck a fruit. It started to fall, Indy reached out and caught it, but lost his balance on the branch. He couldn't catch himself. He bounced down the myriad of limbs like a sack of flour, landing on the lush green vines below. They absorbed little of the shock. Indy pulled himself up with a grunt and examined the fruit. "Can't say I've seen anything like this before. Hopefully it's tasty." As Indy lifted it up to take a bite, Tava snitched it from his hands with a playful smile before he even realized it was gone. His teeth crashed against each other while she took the first bite of the fruit. While she finished chewing she walked towards the next door, tossing the plum over her shoulder for Indy to catch. He fumbled with the fruit in the air before getting a firm grasp on it. He took a chunk out of it and swallowed it down. "Uh, yuck. Taste like a rotten lemon." Indy couldn't help but let his lips pucker in distaste. He joined Tava at the door as the vines surrounding it retreated and it opened up for the next chamber. Indy slowly marched on, still recovering from his fall.

This chamber was dark, only a small torch high on the wall cast a meager shadow across the poorly lit room. "Careful in here. Can't see anything, might be more traps." Indy cautiously inched into the center of the room. As they got towards the center a disembodied voice filled the chamber.

"If you wish go farther you must retrieve my key." the low raspy voice dictated to the duo. Indy and Tava looked around wildly to locate the source of the voice. Something small slid into the light of the small torch casting a shadow, Indy saw it was a ornamental key.

"There. That looks like a key." Indy pointed at it and Tava examined it from her location.

"That symbol on the key's ring. That's a dedication for Arkay." she pointed out the detail.

"The lord of death." Indy learned that from his studies. He started to reach for the key of the dead when the room started to shake. Indy stood up and looked towards the celling. Nothing came crashing down the room started to tilt though. The key slid out of the the light and into the dark corners of the room. The tilt of the room got steeper causing Indy and Tava to go sliding across the room. Tava tried to slow herself by dragging her steel dagger across the cobblestone floor. In the dark, Indy crashed against the stone wall, aggravating his bruises from falling off the tree. He sat up against the wall to catch his breath in the dark corner. Tava came speeding down after him and landed on the battered archaeologist, causing a gasp of pain from Indiana.

"Sorry, can't see." Tava apologized.

"Just, get, off, me." Indy requested through gritted teeth. The thief climbed off. Staying on her hands and knees she started to search the dark corners for the key. Before she could find the key the room started another tilt towards the other side. She could hear the key's metal skidding across the stone to the other wall. The room kept tilting and the two adventurers started a slide to the other side. Indy just shook his head in disbelief at the day he was having. This time he tumbled across the dark stones. Grunting along the way until he hit the other wall. Tava gracefully landed against the wall and restarted her search for the key. Indy dragged himself along the wall in search of the trinket too. Then the chamber again tilted to the other side. The key led the slide with Indy and Tava slipping down behind it. They hit the wall again. "This isn't working." Indy grunted out through his pained ribs. He started to think of a better approach when the room shifted again and sent him across it. He hit against the wall and heard Tava land next to him. "We're in a stone room, with no lighting. The key is metal." Indy yelled out so Tava heard him.

"Yeah." She replied from the darkness.

"Well..." Indy started to say as the room started it's movement again. He finished his statement as he started his slow slide, "If you blast some electricity the metal key will attract it. So we can see it's location in the dark. Oof." Indy hit the wall. Tava shot lightning from her fingertips into the darkness. One bolt arced from the original path to strike the ground early.

"There!" Tava shouted as she hurried to the spot before the room shifted again. One more blast of lightning helped pinpoint the location. The room started to shift and Tava followed the key's slight silhouette and dove for it as they all started their slide again. She grasped the key in her nimble fingers. With the key firmly in the thief's grasp the room leveled itself out. Indy picked himself slowly off the ground. A second torch ignited showing the door leading to the next chamber. Tava found the keyhole and unlocked the door. When she clicked the tumblers over the door, and key, disintegrated into ash.

The next room was better lit. It was a smaller chamber than the last few. Inscribed on the wall above the door leading to the next room was a short sentence. After taking his fedora off to wipe the sweat from his forehead, Indy looked at the writing.

"Huh? I'm surprised a writing in a lost, ancient tomb is in English." he noted. Tava looked at him in doubt,

"What do you mean? That writing up there is in old Yokudanian." Tava pointed to the same inscription Indy was reading. He looked at her with an equally confused look. He looked back at the wall,

"It says, in English, 'What goes around the hut and over the hut, but never touches the hut?' It's a riddle. What are you reading?" Indy asked as he put his hat back on.

"It says exactly that, but in Yokudanian. Weird." Tava scratched her head under her black hood. Indy looked at the symbols surrounding the riddle and tried to match them up to the book.

"Ah, this chamber must be dedicated to Julianos, the god over wisdom and logic. Must have some magic here to make that riddle appear in the reader's native language?" Indy hypothesized.

"Well, any ideal what the answer to this riddle is?" Tava brought him back onto task. Indy muttered the words under his breath and tried to decide the answer.

"Maybe, rain, insects, no. What about the neighbors, or wind?" Indy thought out loud.

"There has to be some clever answer to it. I thought you scholarly types loved word play?" Tava joked.

"I'm not quite as scholarly as you think." Indy cracked his half smile. The two then sat in quiet contemplation, staring intently at the riddle. Indy rubbed his chin in deep thinking.

"Wait, 'goes around and over, but never touches' the sun goes around a house from east to west, least it does where I'm from. And at high noon it is over the house, but it never touches the house cause it's in the sky." Indy felt good about this answer and approached the door and the inscription. "The sun!" Indy stated in a loud manner that echoed in the chamber. The wall started to shake and the door retracted in eight different directions like an intricate puzzle.

"Four down." Tava took tally of the divines they had encountered. Indy turned back to her as they walked through the door,

"You ever hear the one 'how is a raven like a writing desk?" Tava didn't get the hidden joke Indy was laughing at.

This chamber had a grand feel about it. Statues of a righteous man stood guard along the walls. Huge hanging braziers ignited the whole room. "Stendarr? God of justice. Has to be." Indy deduced. They started traversing the tiled stone floor. Some of the tiles started to give away leading to bottomless pits. Indy grabbed Tava by the collar of her cloak before she fell into one of the holes. "Some of these are trap tiles." Indy noticed that some tiles had artwork on them. They depicted pictures of devils, drinking, gambling, and murderers. Others were blank, clean slabs. Indy turned to the book in his satchel and recited the page on Stendarr, "Those that worship the god of mercy must live a clean life dedicated to the path of justice and righteousness. They shall not drink, steal, murderer innocence, or worship the Daedra." He looked over to Tava, "Stay on the blank slabs. I think that will keep us from falling." They started walking, carefully watching which tiles they stepped on. "Hey, look at this. They gave you a tile." Indy casually pointed to a tile engraved with the picture of a thief. Tava shoved Indy, almost pushing him on to a trap tile.

"That's cute." Tava was unamused. They finally reached the door on the other side of the trapped floor. Cautiously approaching the door, Indy saw that the door had a knob right on it. He grabbed the handle slowly expecting something to spring at him. With a simple turn of the knob the door sank into the ground. "Well that was anti-climatic." Tava sound disappointed.

"I can live with anti-climatic." Indy said, his body still sore.

This chamber had subtle moody lighting. It was a cramp room, the walls were decorated with stone roses. Tava took note of the floor that glowed under them.

"See this seal on the floor." Tava outlined the large, lighted symbol with a sweep of her hand, "this is the mark of Mara. Goddess of love." Indy looked towards the next door,

"And that same symbol's above the door." Tava examined the whole room, which amounted to very little.

"I don't see any puzzles or instructions. How do we get this next door open?" Indy's eyes showed a look of determination as he thought what could be the trick to open this door. He turned towards Tava with the look still in his eyes and started a brisk pace towards here. He grabbed the thief by her shoulders and tipped her down. As her hood slipped down off her head her eyes opened wide in worried shock. Then Indy landed a kiss on the thief. Once the shock wore off she returned the favor. He pulled her back up and mumbled a laugh. She promptly slapped him hard across the face, now he had matching bruises. "I may be a thief, but after all this time we've been trekking I expected you'd..." Indy, rubbing his cheek with one hand, raised a finger in silence and motioned to the floor seal. It started to glow brighter until the light cracked out from it and connected to the seal above the door. The light faded away and the door lifted open, "Oh, I see. How did you know that was what would open the door?" Tava asked. Indy moved his hand to rub the back of his neck.

"Shot in the dark." Tava turned away from Indy sharply and strutted snootily off into the next room. Indy followed behind, "Only two left. So this has to be Dibella?"

"You mean three; Dibella, Talos, and finally Akatosh?" Tava corrected. Indy concurred,

"This temple was built centuries before Talos was considered a god. We only have the original eight."

"Fine, so now we have Dibella. The goddess of beauty, one of my favorites, most her temples are ripe with loot." Tava walked into the room, "So, this should be easy. I just stand somewhere she can see me and the door opens." Tava gloated about her slender looks.

"I don't think it works that way doll." Indy smugged at her bold remark. Indy checked the chamber for hints. It was a Romanesque design, grand white columns with scantily clad women carved into them and grand mosaics of tile chips decorated the walls with depictions of beauty and artistry. An altar stood large in the center of the room. It was littered with little glass bottles filled with liquids of different colors and viscosity. On the stone altar's top was inscribed instructions, unfortunately they were in old Tamrielic.

"Great." Indy scratched his head under his hat and grabbed another book from this satchel, "Give me a few to decode this old language." Indy laid the book next to the markings and began to scribble out the words. As he did, Tava tapped one of the glass bottles and swished another one around by it's bottleneck. "I don't know if I would touch any of those." Indy cautioned as he kept writing. Tava sat the bottles down. Indy picked up the book he had scribbled the English translation in. "A mixture of two of these vials will grant you passage through Dibella's temple. The others spell death.' You learn any alchemy over your career of thieving?" Indy turned to Tava, he had no ideal how to guess which potions to mix. Tava popped a cork off a small vial and took a whiff of the contents. Her nose curled up at the smell.

"Well, this is boiled down Falmer ear. Hard to forget that scent." Indy took it from her and had a courtesy sniff.

"Okay, it smells terrible, but is this what we need?" Indy asked as he tried to forget the smell. Tava dug deep into her mind, pulling out all the old boxes she mentally collected over her life.

"No, I don't think we want that one." She picked up two other vials and observed, "Dibella is the goddess of beauty right, everything frilly and pleasing. So, I bet if we go through these vials we'll find only two that smell pretty, the others will smell like that one." She motioned to the one in Indy's hand.

"So we have to smell through all these?" Indy asked begrudgingly. Tava handed him a couple vials and started to work on her own. Indy took a whiff of one and dry heaved from the pungent smell. After catching his breath he smelled another one, it was even worse. Tava sniffed hers and bit her lip as her eyes watered from the ugly smells,

"Ugh, vampire dust." she smelt another, "moldy troll fat". She began tossing the nasty vials over her shoulder, crashing them against the floor. Indy took note of one that was especially rank.

"Woo. Try this one Tava." He stuck it up to her nose forcefully. Tava started hacking up a lung and dropped to her knees in pain.

"You ass." she coughed some more, her eyes watered shut, "That is some rotten slaughterfish." Indy put down the vile vial and helped Tava up from the ground. She grabbed the vial of troll fat and splashed it on Indy's face. He stumbled back overcome by the moldy smell. "Don't try that again." Tava grabbed another vial and prepared for another rank smell. Her nose was invited by the smell of sweet honey and flowers. "Hmm, beeswax. We found one vial then." Tava stuck the sweet vial in her cloak. Indy couldn't wipe the smell off of his face. He picked up another vial and gave it a sniff. It was another bad smell, but not quite as ripe as the smell still stuck on his nose. He picked up another. This one had a smell that reminded him of freshly picked strawberries.

"I think we found the other one here." Indy handed the second vial to Tava, who sniffed it.

"Yep, the juice of snowberries." she took that vial and the one from her cloak and mixed the two together, "Okay this should get our door open." Tava looked at the newly mixed potion, "Well. Bottom's up." Tava tipped the vial back and drank half of the sweet elixir. She smacked her lips gently together, "Smells better than it tastes." She handed the rest of the vial to Indiana. With a shrug he shot back the last of the drink. He rather enjoyed the taste. They both looked as the door opened, leading to the final chamber, the room of Akatosh.


	7. Through the Dragon Break

The two cautiously entered the tomb. The walls were carved as a giant dome. The room was lite by light that mimicked soft, blue moonlight from a shaft that seemed to reach all the way up through the Throat of the World. In the center sat a semi dome altar decorated with emblems of Akatosh covering it. A large statue of Akatosh in his dragon form loomed over the altar.

"There it is. The heart of stone, the altar of Akatosh." Indy approached the stone carefully and inspected it. An the top of the dome was a divot carved for a key to fit. The key, the gauntlet. Indy pulled the decorative gauntlet from his satchel and secured it on his hand, the dark green metal reached up this his elbow. He looked at the altar, then checked out the room, then finally looked back towards Tava. The moonlight played well on her caramel skin. The honed thief was showing a hint of shy regret. Her eyes staring at the ground, pushing the dust and gravel around with the tip of her boot. Trying to think what to say, Indy started to scratch the back of his head, but the heavy gauntlet prevented that. "This has been one Hell of an adventure." Indy muttered out. Tava's eyes sharply pointed towards the bumbling professor. He could feel those emerald greens stabbing at his soul. "Listen. I've enjoyed experiencing this new culture, this whole new world. You were a good guide and a loyal partner." Her eyes burnt deeper,

"Just a guide and partner?" she asked smugly. Indy cracked his half smile,

"Among other things. But I've got to get back to my life, my 'plain of existence'. I've people back there waiting for me. Work to be done." Indy dribbled out his reasons for leaving. Tava's eyes simmered down.

"In my line of work friends and allies are hard to come by. There is no honor among thieves. Living alone in the shadows." Tears started to collect in her eyes. Indy caught her in a comforting hug, the best he could think to do on the fly. Her head stay against his shoulder for several long seconds. She finally pushed back and stood there staring at Indy. "Go, you need to get back and I've got work to catch up on." she ordered him through sad breaths. Indy started his approach to the altar and turned back again one last time.

"You have my watch again, don't you?" he asked through a forced smile. Tava sheepishly smiled back and started to dig for it in her pocket. Indy raised his hand, "Don't. Keep an eye on it for me." Tava had found the watch and fiddled it between her fingers,

"This one will go in my private collection." Indy turned back to the stone and inspected the keyhole closer. He fit the gauntlet down into latch until the metal clanked against stone. Rays of white light blasted from the altar dome and traveled over the room up through the celling shaft. As noise filled the chamber and the rift started to open a monstrous roar erupted. Indy yelled to Tava over the noises,

"What was that?"

"I don't know, sounded like it came from the mountain's peak." Tava replied frantically. Before Indy could reply, the white light overtook him and blinded him. He felt weak and finally passed out.

Indy woke up later laying on a cold stone floor. He looked around, picked his hat up off the stone. A familiar cold had returned to the air. He stood up an realized he was in a stone room.

"Did it work?" Indy believed he was still in the Medieval world. The gauntlet was gone from his hand. "It had to have worked." Indy wandered out of the stone room and into another one. "Wait." This room looked familiar to Indy, "This was the foyer of that castle ruin at the Sweden dig. I'm in my dig site." Indy's voice was elated, "I'm back! I made it back!" He ran through the ruins to the edge of the dig where his camp was, "HEY! Jimmy! Anyone up there?" The archaeologist's screams attracted some lowly diggers at the topside camp. They looked over and scurried to get a ladder down to the lost professor. They came back with a ladder and Indy ascended out of the site. He started trudging across the Swedish snow.

"Indy? Where the Hell have you been? I've spent the last week out in the woods trying to find you!" the familiar voice of Jimmy echoed across the camp from his tent. Indy waved him off, he could catch up with Jimmy later. He was just glad to be back in Sweden, back on Earth, but he could use a break from his crazy adventures. Take some time for himself to lay down in his tent. Indy pulled his tent flap back and closed it behind him. As Indy hung his jacket up on a hook he realized he wasn't alone in his personal tent. He turned to see someone sitting on his cot reading a book. He pulled out his Smith & Wesson from it's holster.

"Who are you?" The figure pulled their nose from the book to reveal a beautiful woman, flowing black hair covering green eyes. The tan vest over her white blouse and knee high hiking boots suggested she was a fellow archaeologist. She looked at Indy,

"Sorry. Talia Montesomer. I was exploring a possible historical site located in this region." she couldn't hide the Spanish accent in her voice. "Me and my dig team came across what I assume to be your site. Wanted to know if I could make this a joint venture. That oafish American told me to wait for you." Indy sat down at his desk. He kicked his feet up on the rail of his cot as he listened to the story.

"Sounds like Jimmy. You want to help me dig up this castle? You need class credit or something?" Indy joked at her.

"Dr. Jones. I am one of the leading professionals in the field of archaeology where I'm from." The Latina in her voice started to boil up.

"Easy, doll. You and your crew can help us out." Indy chuckled. Talia replied with many thank yous, Indy silenced her with her hand. Talia turned back to her research notes while Indy got comfortable. He started to doze off to sleep then something caught his eye. From Talia's vest hung the chain of an antique pocket watch. Indy cracked a happy half smile and tipped his fedora down over his eyes.


End file.
